


I Was Having This Discussion in a Taxi Heading Downtown

by why_didnt_i_get_any_soup



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, SHIELD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 09:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11940798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/why_didnt_i_get_any_soup/pseuds/why_didnt_i_get_any_soup
Summary: Clint and Nat are dating but they don't want to lose their jobs with SHIELD so they decide to take different dates to the office gala.





	I Was Having This Discussion in a Taxi Heading Downtown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiss_me_cassie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiss_me_cassie/gifts).



> Loosely based on this prompt

Clint picked Laura up in a taxi based on the address Natasha had given him. He had a lot of expectations of what someone Natasha knew personally would look like, and Laura exceeded all of them.

“Ummm,” Clint texted Natasha as discreetly as he could (read: not very discreetly at all), “she’s really cute!!!!”

“I know!!” Nat texted back. Then, “;) that’s why I’ve had a crush on her for forever.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” he texted sarcastically, considering Natasha hadn't given him a single inkling of what Laura would be like.

“:P have fun!!”

“It’s unlikely but like...what do I do if she like…really likes me?”

“LOL!” Natasha replied, followed by several crying laughing emojis. “¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ that’s up to you guys.”

“Wait what are you serious????” Clint nearly dropped his phone at that. Then, he glanced over at Laura. She must have taken the cue from Clint to get on her phone too. He felt bad that he was basically ignoring her after their initial greetings.

“Deadly,” Nat replied with a few spider emojis and a few knife emojis.

He couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I gtg cuz she’s on her phone now too and I feel like an asshole.”

“Go to her!” Nat texted, adding a little waving emoji.

Clint slipped the phone back in his pocket and cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry about that. I was just texting Nat.”

Laura laughed, a pleasant little laugh. “Me too, actually.”

That set Clint’s mind reeling: what was she saying to Nat? What were her first impressions of him? Did she think he was a rude asshole? Did Nat even tell her why she was going to this shindig in the first place?

“Was she talking about me?” he blurted out, because of course he did. Laura was making him nervous.

Laura busted out laughing. “Maybe a little.” she said with an amused smile.

“Good things, I hope?” he said, trying to regain his composure a little bit.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” Her voice was kind of flirty and Clint’s stomach dropped a bit. He was a gonner.

There were a few beats of silence before Laura started a new line of conversation, even if Clint was still lingering on the idea of Natasha having a crush on Laura and them talking about him...

“So, Nat didn’t tell me why exactly I agreed to this. Why couldn’t she just go to this gala instead of me?”

“Uh…” Clint trailed off, “it’s a bit complicated, but basically Natasha and I work together, and it’s against protocol for us to be seeing each other. But, you know, people have their suspicions. So, we thought maybe bringing someone else to party would curb that just slightly.”

“Do you know the guy she’s going with?”

“Bucky? Yeah. They’re real old friends. He works for a company that works for SHIELD so it’s technically not a conflict in terms of our protocols.” he shrugged.

Clint had to admit. He liked Bucky. A lot. He was a good person and a good friend.

“Why do you care what people think about you guys?” Laura looked serious and she angled her body toward Clint: a good sign.

“Well, it’s not so much that we care what people think. We just love our work and we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves if we didn’t do this job.”

“But it’s secret…” Laura filled in, obviously having heard that line from Natasha at least a few times.

“Yes. But believe me, I would tell you if I could.” I’d tell you anything and everything, he didn’t say.

“Thanks.” She smiled up at him and tucked some hair behind her ear. It was incredibly endearing. “Do you have to go to this?” she said, then, licking her lips.

That was the first time it had entered his mind that he could completely ditch the function and take Laura home. It would be so easy. He’d gotten the go ahead from Nat and he seemed to be getting the signal from Laura now too. But what if he was misreading that? What if he fucked up their relationship forever and it never got the chance to get off the ground?

“Do you not want to?” he asked, instead, trying to employ just a modicum of tact.

Laura gestured to her dress. “It would be a shame if no one got to see me all dressed up.”

“I got to see you.” He said and realized what his mouth had just blurted out.

It was an obvious flirt and Laura could take it that way if she chose to. He didn’t make eye contact with her then, just in case it was about to get really awkward.

“The only other person I would want to see me dressed up is Nat anyway…” Laura answered and it sounded so nonchalant.

Clint wasn’t sure what it meant, if it was also flirting or just that she wanted her friend to see her.

“Nat would definitely approve.” Clint licked his lips, more out of nerves than trying to be a lascivious creep. He hoped that was obvious.

“Maybe we should show her.” and her voice was definitely suggestive then. There was no mistaking it.

“Oh.” Clint swallowed and finally made eye contact with her. “Does that mean you want to ditch the gala?”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the inside of your place.”

Fuck, Clint was not that smooth.

“Okay, let’s get this cab turned around.” He told her then asked the same of the cab driver, who really hadn’t been paying attention.

The man seemed a little annoyed but then told Clint it was his money and shrugged.

Then, Clint pulled out his phone. He was too impatient to text Nat this time.

“Is Bucky there yet?” he asked.

“No? Why?”

“Me and Laura are ditching. Going back to my place. Want to come?”

Clint could hear the smile in Natasha’s voice. “Fuck yeah!”

“Nat?”

“Yes, Clint?”

“Was Bucky ever coming?”

Natasha laughed. “Nah, I was sort of waiting for this to happen.”

“You sneaky bastard.”

“That’s me.” she said and then told him she’d see him soon.

“Were you in on this?” Clint turned to Laura.

“Nope. But aren’t we all just pawns in Nat’s games?”

“That’s fair.” he said and then placed a hand on Laura’s shoulder. “Can I kiss you now?”

“I’d love nothing more.”


End file.
